Albuquerque, NM – Local Mental Health Clinic, Sage Neuroscience Center, is partnering with HealthShire.com to give away two free addiction treatment scholarships to an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) in honor of Breaking Bad’s Final Season.

Applicants may apply by submitting a personal story about addiction, to be compiled into a collection for addiction awareness aimed at reducing stigma and encouraging treatment. Applications will be screened by the IOP director and staff, awarding two 12-week scholarships to the winners. All applicants and winners will be kept anonymous for privacy reasons.

Addiction in New Mexico – New Mexico has ranked #1 in the country for alcohol-related deaths since 1997. 8 out of the 10 leading causes of death in NM are drug, alcohol or tobacco related. The annual economic cost of abuse in NM is $2.5 billion or $1,250 per person. In 2008, New Mexico was ranked number 1 for illicit drug dependence among people ages 12 and older. 1,2

Sage Neuroscience Center – Sage is a mental health clinic in Albuquerque, NM. Established in 2006, Sage has grown to serve 180 patients daily and provides services to 7,000 active patients. The Intensive Outpatient Program for Addictions meets 3 times a week for a total of 12 weeks. Designed to empower and educate, those in the program learn the skills and methods required to tackle addiction in their everyday lives. More information about the IOP is available at http://www.sageclinic.org/addictions-treatment/iop

HealthShire – HealthShire.com is an Albuquerque-based, online mental health community, focused on bringing much-needed attention to the state of mental health and treatment in New Mexico and the greater United States. Patients are able to find providers, research mental health information, and become advocates through the telling-our-story program.